Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to commonly asked questions about our products and services.
How do I know I’m hiring a licensed electrician and not just a handyman with a tool belt?
Great question — and honestly, it’s the most important one you can ask. FHR Electric is a fully licensed and insured electrical contractor operating under the umbrella of a construction firm with over 20 years in the Scottsdale, AZ market, so our credentials are verifiable, not just a claim on a magnet. Every technician we send to your home or business is a certified electrician, not a generalist sub who handles plumbing on Tuesdays. If you’ve been burned by unlicensed work before, we get it — give us a call at (602) 492-9999 and we’ll walk you through exactly what our licensing covers and what that means for your protection.
What areas do you serve?
FHR Electric serves all of Maricopa County, including Scottsdale, North Scottsdale, Old Town Scottsdale, Phoenix, North Phoenix, Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Glendale, and Fountain Hills. Whether you’re booking residential electrical services for a Scottsdale home or need a commercial electrician for a business in Gilbert, we’re local and we show up on time. If you’re unsure whether we cover your specific address, just call FHR Electric at (602) 492-9999 — we’ll confirm in about thirty seconds.
Do you give free estimates, and will my final bill match the quote?
Yes, we provide upfront straight-price quotes before any work begins — no hourly guessing games, no scope creep surprises tacked onto your invoice at the end. We believe cost uncertainty is one of the most stressful parts of hiring an electrical company, so we price the job honestly the first time and stand behind that number. If something genuinely unexpected surfaces mid-project (say, knob-and-tube wiring hidden behind a wall that nobody knew about), we stop, explain it clearly, and get your approval before touching another wire. You stay in control of your budget the entire time.
What is a panel upgrade, and how do I know if my home needs one?
A panel upgrade — sometimes called an electrical panel replacement or breaker box upgrade — replaces your home’s main electrical panel with one that can safely handle modern power demands. If your breakers trip regularly, you’re adding an EV charger, upgrading your HVAC, or remodeling a kitchen, there’s a real chance your current panel just wasn’t designed for today’s loads. The most common upgrades we do are 200 amp panel upgrades and 400 amp service upgrades for larger homes or properties with heavy commercial-style loads. A quick electrical panel inspection with us will tell you exactly where you stand — no pressure, just honest information.
Can you install an EV charger in my garage?
Absolutely — EV charger installation is one of our most requested services right now, and we handle everything from a basic 240 volt outlet installation to a full Level 2 EV charger installation with a dedicated circuit. We do Tesla Wall Connector installation, Tesla charger installation for Model S, 3, X, and Y owners, and home EV charging station setups for every major brand. If your panel isn’t ready for the load, we’ll handle the panel upgrade and charger install in one visit so you’re not coordinating two contractors. Call FHR Electric at (602) 492-9999 to schedule your EV charger for garage consultation.
What’s the difference between a Level 1 and Level 2 EV charger?
Level 1 charging uses a standard 120-volt household outlet and adds roughly 3–5 miles of range per hour — fine for a plug-in hybrid, painfully slow for a full EV. A Level 2 EV charger installation runs on a dedicated 240-volt circuit and can deliver 20–30 miles of range per hour, meaning most drivers wake up to a fully charged vehicle every morning. For Tesla owners specifically, the Tesla Wall Connector is a Level 2 unit that integrates cleanly with the car’s software and maximizes charge speed. We handle the 240 volt outlet installation, the wiring, and the panel capacity check so the whole system is safe and code-compliant from day one.
Do you install commercial EV charging stations for businesses?
Yes — commercial EV charging station installation is a growing part of what we do, especially for office parks, medical offices, restaurants, and retail centers across Maricopa County. A commercial electrician familiar with load calculations and local permitting is essential here because the infrastructure requirements are substantially different from a home setup. We size the system for your current and future fleet or customer needs, coordinate the permit, and make sure the installation passes inspection the first time. If you’re a business owner thinking ahead about EV infrastructure, it’s worth a conversation sooner rather than later.
What is a thermal imaging electrical inspection, and why does it matter?
A thermal imaging electrical inspection — also called an infrared electrical inspection — uses a thermal camera to detect heat signatures inside your electrical system that are invisible to the naked eye. Loose connections, overloaded circuits, and failing components all generate excess heat long before they cause a visible problem or trip a breaker, and in Scottsdale‘s climate that heat buildup accelerates faster than most homeowners realize. We use thermal imaging as a diagnostic tool to prove work is done right and to identify hazards that a standard visual inspection would completely miss. It’s one of the things that separates a thorough electrical panel inspection from a quick look-and-nod.
How quickly can you respond to an electrical emergency?
We prioritize emergency calls and work hard to get a licensed electrician to your home or business in Scottsdale and surrounding Maricopa County as fast as possible — because a sparking outlet or a panel that’s throwing heat isn’t a ‘schedule it next week’ situation. When you call (602) 492-9999, you’ll reach a real person who can assess the urgency and dispatch accordingly, not a call center reading from a script. For business owners especially — restaurant owners, medical offices — we understand that downtime has a real dollar cost and we treat your timeline accordingly. Don’t sit on a potential hazard; call us.
Do you handle both residential and commercial electrical work?
Yes — FHR Electric is both a residential electrician and a commercial electrician, which is rarer than it sounds and genuinely useful. Residential electrical services require a different approach than commercial work, but having breadth in both means we understand load demands, code requirements, and inspection standards across every type of property. Whether you’re a homeowner in North Scottsdale upgrading a panel or a restaurant owner in Tempe who needs reliable electrician-for-business support, we’re equipped for the full scope. That commercial-to-residential range also means we’re not fazed by complex remodels or mixed-use properties.
What should I expect on the day of my appointment?
Your technician will arrive on time, introduce themselves, and walk through the scope of the job with you before a single tool comes out of the bag — no surprises, no assumptions. We treat your home or business with respect: we protect work areas, clean up after ourselves, and explain what we did and why in plain language, not electrical jargon. If we discover something unexpected during the job, we’ll show you exactly what we found (thermal imaging footage if applicable) and discuss options before proceeding. The goal is that you feel more informed at the end of the appointment than you did at the start.
Are your electricians background-checked and insured?
Every technician working under FHR Electric is background-checked, licensed, and covered under our full contractor insurance — liability and workers’ comp included. Because we operate as the electrical division of a licensed AZ construction firm, our insurance and licensing requirements are held to a higher standard than a sole-operator van service. That matters when something is happening inside your walls, on your commercial property, or in a space where clients or patients are present. You shouldn’t have to ask twice about this stuff — we lead with it because we think it’s table stakes for electrical services.
Do you pull permits for electrical work, and why does that matter?
Yes, we pull the required permits for all work that demands them — and if someone quotes you work ‘without permits to save money,’ that’s a red flag worth taking seriously. Permitted electrical work is inspected by the local authority, which protects you from hidden hazards and protects your home’s resale value; unpermitted work can torpedo a sale or result in costly corrections when the next buyer’s inspector finds it. As a licensed electrical contractor operating in Scottsdale and across Maricopa County, we know the permit process cold and we handle it on your behalf. It’s part of what you’re paying for when you hire a real professional.
What’s included in an electrical panel inspection?
Our electrical panel inspection covers the condition of your breakers, the integrity of your wiring connections, signs of corrosion or heat damage, panel capacity relative to your current and planned loads, and any code compliance issues we notice. Where appropriate, we layer in a thermal imaging electrical inspection to catch heat anomalies that a visual check alone would miss — particularly useful in older Scottsdale homes where wiring may have been modified over the decades. You’ll get a clear written summary of what we found and what (if anything) needs attention. It’s the honest starting point before any panel upgrade or electrical service upgrade conversation.
How long does a panel upgrade or electrical service upgrade typically take?
Most residential 200 amp panel upgrades or main panel replacements can be completed in a single day, though the utility coordination for a 400 amp service upgrade may extend the timeline slightly depending on APS or SRP scheduling. We’ll give you a realistic timeline upfront — not an optimistic number designed to close the sale, but an honest one that accounts for permit approval and utility involvement. For commercial projects, scope varies widely, so we build a detailed project schedule during the estimate phase. The goal is zero surprises on timing, just like on pricing.
Can you help with a full home remodel or new construction wiring?
Absolutely — because FHR Electric operates within a full construction firm, we’re a natural fit for high-end remodels and new builds where the electrician needs to coordinate tightly with the GC, the HVAC team, and the design intent. We’ve worked on complex Scottsdale custom homes and North Phoenix builds where the electrical scope was far beyond a standard electrician for home situation — whole-home automation rough-in, EV charging infrastructure, dedicated circuits for professional appliances, the works. If you’re working with a contractor or architect on a remodel, we’re used to that collaboration and we make it easy. Reach out to FHR Electric at (602) 492-9999 to discuss your project scope.
Do you offer any warranty or guarantee on your electrical work?
Yes — our work is backed by a workmanship warranty, and we stand behind the materials we install. More importantly, because we’re a licensed electrical contractor with over 20 years anchored in this market, we’re not going anywhere; if something isn’t right after the job, you can reach us by name and hold us accountable. That longevity matters — a fly-by-night operator can’t offer a warranty worth anything if they’re unreachable six months later. We also make sure manufacturer warranties on equipment like EV chargers and panels are properly registered so you’re covered on both sides.
Why should I choose FHR Electric over other electrical companies in Scottsdale?
The honest answer: we’re not the cheapest option, and we don’t try to be. FHR Electric is the electrical division of a construction firm that has been operating in Scottsdale, AZ for over 20 years — with + ★ Reviews from clients who’ve trusted us with everything from a single GFCI outlet to full commercial electrical services. We bring licensed credentials, thermal imaging diagnostics, straight-forward pricing, and the kind of accountability that comes from being deeply embedded in one community for two decades. If you want the cheapest bid, we’re probably not your call — but if you want peace of mind that the work is done right and the company will still be here if you ever need them, that’s exactly what we’re built for.